NEW DELHI, Nov. 10 -- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has come under criticism on social media after deleting a post that purportedly showed petrol at a Mysuru fuel station containing ethanol within the prescribed 20 per cent limit, with users alleging that the accompanying test image actually indicated a concentration of around 33 per cent.
The controversy erupted amid an ongoing dispute between the Karnataka government and public sector oil marketing companies over the proportion of ethanol being blended into petrol sold across the state.
BPCL had shared the post on Sunday as part of its social media campaign aimed at countering claims that petrol sold at certain outlets contained ethanol levels exceeding the prescribed limit. The company maintained that its testing demonstrated compliance with the E20 standard.
However, several social media users questioned the interpretation of the test results, claiming that the measuring container shown in the photograph indicated an ethanol concentration substantially higher than 20 per cent.
The post was subsequently deleted, but screenshots circulated widely on social media on Monday, prompting criticism of the company and demands for an explanation.
Some users accused BPCL of contradicting its own campaign intended to reassure consumers about fuel quality. Others questioned why the company had removed the post rather than clarifying the disputed reading.
The claim that the photograph showed approximately 33 per cent ethanol has not been independently verified.
The episode follows allegations made by the Congress-led Karnataka government that petrol samples collected from several districts contained ethanol concentrations significantly above the prescribed level.
State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad said last week that laboratory tests of 63 fuel samples collected from seven districts had revealed excessive ethanol blending at several retail outlets.
According to the state government's findings, some samples contained ethanol concentrations exceeding 30 per cent, with the highest reported reading reaching 31.2 per cent.
The findings raised concerns about the possible impact of higher ethanol concentrations on vehicle performance, fuel efficiency and components, particularly in vehicles not designed to operate on such blends.
The Karnataka government called for greater accountability from oil marketing companies and urged the Centre to examine the potential financial implications for motorists.
However, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum rejected the allegations, maintaining that the state's findings were not supported by tests conducted in accordance with prescribed technical procedures.
In a statement issued through the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on November 7, the companies said E20 petrol supplied across the country complied with the Bureau of Indian Standards specification IS 17021.
The ministry cited results from 893 petrol samples collected from depots and retail outlets across 27 states and Union Territories. According to the statement, all samples were within the prescribed ethanol concentration range of 19 to 21 per cent.
It added that 56 samples tested in Karnataka also met the required specifications, with ethanol content ranging between 19 and 20 per cent and averaging 19.30 per cent.
The oil marketing companies questioned the sampling procedures and testing methodology used in Karnataka's investigation, arguing that the available laboratory certificates did not provide sufficient technical details to independently validate the reported results.
They sought access to the state's sampling records, laboratory reports and testing methodology and proposed joint testing at authorised laboratories.
The Centre maintained that ethanol blending was being monitored through established quality-control mechanisms and that any confirmed deviations would be addressed under applicable regulations.
The dispute has also acquired political significance, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning the Centre's ethanol blending programme and raising concerns about its possible impact on vehicle owners.
Meanwhile, Kerala has initiated random inspections at petrol pumps in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur to examine ethanol content in fuel.
The state government has indicated that the inspection exercise could be expanded depending on the initial findings. Samples are being sent to government laboratories for testing, with results expected within 10 days.
Authorities in Kerala have warned that violations, if established, could lead to action against the petrol outlets concerned, including closure and prosecution.
India's ethanol blending programme seeks to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, support domestic agricultural production and improve energy security.
Under the E20 initiative, petrol is blended with 20 per cent ethanol, an alcohol-based fuel produced from agricultural feedstocks.
While the Centre has defended the programme and maintained that the fuel meets prescribed standards, questions about blending levels and vehicle compatibility have continued to attract public attention.
BPCL's deletion of the disputed social media post has added to the debate, with the central question remaining whether the allegations of excessive ethanol blending can be established through independently verifiable testing.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.